U.S. Attorney Kenneth Polite's office says 79-year-old Frank Frabbiele ran a gambling operation between January 2008 and April 9, 2014, in which he took bets and wagers on football, basketball and baseball games. Court records say he used a "pay-per-heard" betting website in Costa Rica to track, record and register bets and clients.

Prosecutors say Frabbiele paid a per-client fee to the website, and paid their winnings or received money owed to him in person throughout the New Orleans area.

Frabbiele entered his plea Wednesday before U.S. District Judge Helen Berrigan. Frabbiele is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 14.